Petebs



(Mox lL) 3 She etsv-Sheet 1.

S. R. OWEN.

Fire Escape Ladder. N0.240,757. l Patented April 26, 11881.-

WI'VVZNTESSILS' UV VTEJVTOR %fzwb i 0% r B .flttur-n-ey Y N. PETERS, FHOTQ-LITHOGRAPH ER, WASHINGTON 0H0:

(Modem asheetsfsne'et 2;

S. Pw-O'WEN. Fire Escape Ladder. No. 240,757. Patent d April 26, I881.

p Q WITNESSES I INVENTOR- W ATTORNEY Nkmans, FHORLLITQOGRAFHER,WASHINGTON. n. c.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(Model.)

'3. R. OWEN. Fire Escape Ladder;

Patented April 26,1881.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY NPETES. PKOTOJJTHOGHAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SILAS R. OWVEN, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JAMES A. MATNEY, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,757, dated April 26, 1881.

Applicaiionfiled October 16, 1880. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SILAs R. OWEN, of St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Extension-Ladders; and I do hereby declare that the followin g is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side view, showing the ladder extended. Fig. 2 is afrontview, showing the ladder extended. Fig. 3 is a side View, showing the ladder closed. Fig. 4 is a detail view.

This invention relates to extension-ladders; and it consists in the construction hereinafter specified.

In the annexed drawings, A is a truck, carried by wheels B.

O is a frame mounted on said truck. To the forward end of this frame, by a hinged crossbar, D, is attached aladder, E. The side pieces, 6, of this ladder have on top metal strips 0, whose edges project beyond the side pieces.

F is a second ladder, to whose side pieces, f, are attached, at top and bottom, metal strips f f, similar to strips 0, and at their lower ends are travelers f.

H is a third ladder, having like travelers k and metal strips h. Under the ladders, and hung to frame 0, is a Windlass, I, with handle, pawl and ratchet, and spools t z".

Journaled to the sides of ladder E, opposite the other ladders, is a Windlass, K, similar to but smaller than Windlass 1, its spools 70 k bein g to the outside of ladder E.

At the top of ladder E and top and bottom of ladder F, on the sides thereof, are pulleys e f 4 f and at the top of said ladders E F, and projecting downward, are slotted hangers e f, containing pulleys 0 f and having their outer sides projecting backward and turned inward, to form travelers similar to travelers f W.

()n the under side, at top and bottom of ladder H, there is a strap, L L, containing pulleys l l, and on the sides, at the top of said ladder, are the wheels M M.

Attached firmly to spool z upon Windlass I is a cord, N, which runs up on one side of ladder E to the under side of, around, and over pulley c, then around pulley f then up and around pulley f then down and under pulleys Z, then down and around the pulleys on the other side of the ladders in adirection reverse of that in which it passes up, and is fastened to spool 2' upon Windlass I. By this arrangement of Windlass, cord, and pulleys, and by the metal strips and traveler on the ladders, the latter are made to slide upon one another, and by the pawl and ratchet upon the Windlass they can be held at any point of extension.

Attached to spool k of Windlass K is a tension-cord, P, which passes through pulleys c f in slotted hangers e f; thence through pulleys l at top of ladder H, and down through the pulleys on the other side to spool 7a.. By this arrangement the ladders are stayed, and, there being only one cord, any slack on one side would be compensated on the other. To the front and at the sides are pivoted the derricks R R, having a pivoted brace, r, slotted atr, said slot fitting stud 1. At top of derricks R R are journaled in casings pulleys r W.

Attached to the top of ladder E by hooks passing over the shaftof pulleys e are the cords S, which pass over pulleys r W.

When it is desired to use this device, the ladders being folded up and lying on frame 0, the derricks are raised and slotted brace r placed over stud r, the cords S passing over pulleys r r, extending toward the front end of the truck. This end is run toward the building. The cords S are then pulled, which causes the ladders to rise and fall over, resting against the face of the structure. The pawl on the tension-Windlass is loosened, and by winding up Windlass I the ladders are run up, the wheels M M diminishing the friction. By loosening the pawl on Windlass I the ladders fall, and can then be returned to their place on the truck. So that this device can be used on uneven ground, I have devised the construction shown in Fig. 2.

The middle point of the ends of frame 0 is hinged to truck A, so that the frame may rock sidewise thereon, and at each side of this hinge there is fastened to frame 0 a slotted hanger, 0 0, through whose slot passes a cranked rod,

1o ers 6 and pulleys 0 0 the ladder F, having 1 5 Iand K, all constructed and operating substan- I) Z), fastened to the truck A. By loosening the crank-rod on one side and tightening on the other the frame 0 can be placed at any desired angle to truck A, and hence be kept level.

What I claim is- 1. In an extension-ladder, the combination, with the truck A, having frame 0 and crosspiece D, of the ladder E, hinged to the crosspiece D, and provided with the strip 6, hangstrips f f travelers f hangers f and pulleys f f f the ladder H, having metal strip at, traveler h straps L L, wheels M, and pulleys Z Z, the ropes N and I, and the \vindlasses tially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In an extensiotrladder, the combination, I

With the truck A. of the frame 0, hinged at the middle points of the ends thereof to the truck A, and provided with the slotted hangers c a, regulated by the cranked rods 1) I), to hold the frame 0 in a horizontal plane, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of frame 0, hinged to truck A, and having slotted hangers 0 0, in combination with said truck, having tighteningrods 1) b.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

SILAS R. OWEN.

Witnesses:

' WILLIAM A. OWEN,

CHRISTIAN L. KILMER. 

